Celebrating the festive season with your toddler: 18 to 24 months

Share

In this article

Seeing the festive season through your toddler's eyes

Your toddler understands more and more of what's going on around her and is getting much better at expressing her thoughts. Although she's still too young to really understand what festivals like Christmas are all about, she probably already loves family traditions.

If you plan to take your child to see Father Christmas, explain just who he is and what he looks like, with the help of pictures in books. Don't force your child to sit for a photo with him if she doesn't want to. There will be plenty of time for Santa snaps in the years to come.

It's easy to get caught up in all the seasonal merry making and to forget that too many new faces, sights and sounds can over-stimulate even sociable toddlers. Pay attention to your child's cues and put her down for a nap or to bed when you see the signs of sleepiness.

Whenever possible, try to stick to her usual sleep routine. It's better to make the effort to find a room where she can take a nap than to spend the rest of the day with a child who is overtired.

Your child is beginning to understand that her wants don't necessarily match with yours. She'll try to assert herself, and may very well throw a tantrum when she doesn’t get her way.

It may therefore be sensible to leave her at home with a relative or friend while you do your Christmas shopping. You don’t want to have to deal with a tantrum in a crowded place if you can avoid it.

Managing holiday travel

By the time they're 18 months old or so, children begin to enjoy the novelty of seeing new places and new things. Keep in mind though that even the most outgoing toddler can feel anxious about getting to, or being in, a new place.

For entertainment on the road, opt for sing-along cds, hand puppets, storybooks, stuffed animals, musical toys, or anything else that keeps her attention.

Wrap a few new toys or books up as surprises to be presented along the way. This should stop her getting too bored. Try to make plenty of stops during the journey to allow your toddler to run around and burn off energy.

Remember, bad weather during the holiday season can put a dampener on even the best travel plans. Prepare for the unexpected by packing a bag with extra nappies, clothes, food, toys, bottles and whatever else you think you might need if you're delayed.

Keeping the festive season safe

Holiday time means more cars on the road, which unfortunately means a greater risk of accidents. Pay particular attention to how your car seat is installed.

If you plan to fly, while you're not required to buy a plane seat for a child under the age of two, but you may your journey is much easier if you do. You'll have a more relaxing trip with the extra space, and more peace of mind knowing that your child is safely strapped into her own seat should your plane hit turbulence.

When you reach your destination you might see why spending the festive season with a toddler can be a strain. Toddlers are a whirlwind of activity, delighting in new experiences and getting into everything.

Small toy parts, nuts, breakable ornaments, candles, burst balloons and poisonous plants, such as mistletoe, can make the season a minefield for safety-conscious parents.

You'll have to be particularly vigilant, especially if you're spending time with friends or family who aren't up on the latest childproofing techniques.

Some other things to think about:

Skip the candles this year, or at least make sure they're placed well out of your toddler's grasp. Buy a cord holder for electrical cables. And if you're planning to spend time in front of a roaring fire, use a firescreen and keep matches and hot, heavy pokers out of reach.

Visitors' handbags and shopping bags interest an inquisitive toddler. Put them in a safe place to keep your child away from medicines, lipstick, keys, money and other forbidden items commonly found inside.

Don't let tablecloths hang too far over a table's edge, as they're a tempting target for a toddler intrigued by cause and effect.

You could buy a smaller Christmas tree so you can put it on a high surface.

Choosing the right present

Exploration is the keyword during this stage of your child's development. She’ll love toys with interlocking parts like pop-up toys, nesting toys, sorting toys, trucks with doors that open and shut, and play kitchens with knobs and doors.

If you get presents from well-meaning friends and relatives that aren't appropriate for your child just yet, then store them away until your toddler is old enough to appreciate them.

Special Offers from Our Partners

We want to make your experience easy and help you quickly find information that matters to you. By using our site, we assume that you consent to our use of these cookies. To learn more about our cookies, including how to opt out, please review our privacy policy.

Finding out if you're pregnant
If you're trying for a baby, each month there's that "Am I, aren't I?" moment. So, is this the month you find out that you're going to be a mum? We have all you need to know…

Childcare solutions
How do you know which type of care is best for your child? Or do you need to rely on a relative to look after your child when you return to work? Either way, there's plenty of planning to be done.

Meet other mums!
In your Birth Club, you can meet other mums and mums-to-be whose due date, or baby's birth date, is the same as yours. It's the perfect place to share advice, support and friendship with others who know what you're going through, because they are too!